HARTFORD >> There are times when Gabby Williams makes plays that display just what made her a world-class high jumper. But given the chance to make her first start for the top-ranked UConn women’s basketball team in more than a month, the sophomore was determined to show that she is more than just an athletic marvel.

While there were many instances when she accomplished that goal, none were more obvious than in the early stages of the second half when she fought for an offensive rebound and made a highlight-reel pass to a cutting Katie Lou Samuelson.

With Williams contributing a career-high 19 points, UConn rolled to a 106-51 victory over Central Florida before a crowd of 8,523 at the XL Center on Wednesday night.

“I learned from that, that is not enough (to rely on just athletic ability),” Williams said. “It is going to take working hard and doing other things. When you get tangled up like that (on the flurry leading to her assist to Samuelson), the defense is kind of frazzled, somebody is going to be open because everybody is watching the ball.”

Williams’ signature play was part of a season-high 29 assists for UConn as the Huskies won their 54th game in a row to move into a tie with the 1980-82 Louisiana Tech teams for the third longest streak in NCAA Division I women’s basketball history. With UConn having already posted winning streaks of 90 and 70 games, the Huskies can have the top three streaks with a win at Southern Methodist on Saturday.

Williams strong play in practice in the last couple of weeks resulted in her getting the start when the decision was made to shut down Morgan Tuck, UConn’s second-leading scorer, for at least the next two weeks to rest her surgically-repaired right knee.

“Each week that goes by I think she gets more comfortable knowing ‘when do I shoot it? When do I pass it? Defensively, when do I take this chance? When do I take that chance? She is finishing around the basket more,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said.

“Early in season she would just get it and go to the basket without an understanding of why or when. Teams start to catch up on that after a little while. She was a pretty good player before she had all of those (injury) problems in high school. It is not easy to come back from that, so she is in a good spot right now.”

Williams wasn’t the only possible replacement for Tuck to have an impressive showing. Natalie Butler had a season-high 20 points and Napheesa Collier finished with 14 points to afford support for leading scorer Breanna Stewart, who finished with 21 points for UConn (17-0, 7-0 in the AAC).

Moriah Jefferson, who missed Tuesday’s practice after banging her head and knee in a recent fall, finished with 10 points, five assists and two steals. She is now seventh in UConn history with 543 assists and two steals shy of becoming the fourth Husky with 300. Katie Lou Samuelson had 10 points and a career-high seven assists for UConn.

UCF came out and made its first three shots and four of its first five, however, the Knights were 0 for 14 from the floor and the Huskies ripped off 25 straight points.

UConn had four separate stretches with at least three straight made field goals. UConn had six players in double figures by the end of the third quarter.